It is known in tank warfare to employ mine clearing apparatus mounted on a vehicle for clearing a path through a mine-field. Conventional mine clearing apparatus which is mounted on armoured vehicles is relatively cumbersome and often interferes with the fighting ability of the vehicle. This is due to a number of disadvantages. Firstly, once it is desired to pass through a mine field, lowering the mine clearing apparatus into ground engaging position requires a manual operation from outside the tank. Raising of the mine clearing apparatus out of ground engaging position is sometimes done manually and sometimes done by means of a hydraulic or electrical lifter. The hydraulic or electric lifter is extremely susceptible to failure and may be disabled even by small-weapons fire. In such a case, the vehicle may be totally disabled in its mobility. Another difficulty with conventional mine clearing apparatus is that in its raised position, it interferes with the field of vision of the driver of the vehicle and may also interfere with the positioning of the cannon of an armoured vehicle such as a tank.
There is described and claimed in co-pending patent application Ser. No. 383,214 filed May 28, 1982 apparatus for clearing mines which overcomes the difficulties and disadvantages described hereinabove and comprises a frame mountable onto a vehicle for selectable positioning in a raised or lowered orientation, apparatus for raising and shunting aside mines mounted onto the frame; and apparatus for selectably retaining the frame in a raised orientation and comprising control apparatus operable from inside the vehicle for releasing the frame from the raised orientation and allowing it to assume the lowered orientation.